The Child Is Mine

I spent the next hour trying to convince myself that telling Kael had been the right decision.

He hadn’t shouted or demanded that I move into his home. He hadn’t questioned my honesty or accused me of trying to trap him. Instead, he had listened while I explained how frightened I was, then promised that the baby wouldn’t take away my right to choose my future.

I wanted to believe him.

But I had believed Adrian’s promises once, too, and I knew better than to build my life around words alone.

When Kael arrived at the hotel that afternoon, I was sitting near the window with my untouched lunch beside me. I had considered meeting him somewhere public, but the thought of strangers overhearing such a personal conversation made me uncomfortable. My hotel room offered privacy, and I could ask him to leave whenever I wanted.

He knocked before entering, carrying none of the confidence that usually made him seem as though every room belonged to him. His eyes moved over my face, and I noticed the concern he was trying not to make obvious.

“How are you feeling?”

“Still trying to understand what happened,” I admitted.

He nodded and closed the door behind him. Rather than sitting beside me, he took the chair opposite mine, leaving enough space between us that I didn’t feel crowded.

“Have you made an appointment with a doctor?”

“Not yet. I only took the tests this morning.”

“I can help you arrange one, if you want.”

“I’ll make the appointment myself. I appreciate the offer, but I need to handle some things on my own.”

“All right.”

His answer came without argument, and I found myself watching him for a moment longer than necessary. I was so accustomed to explaining why I deserved the right to make my own decisions that his willingness to accept a simple no felt unfamiliar.

I folded my hands in my lap.

“Kael, we need to talk about what this pregnancy means.”

“I’m listening.”

“I know the child is yours. I also know we’re mates, and I understand that the bond makes everything more complicated. But we barely know each other. We spent one night together, and now we’re discussing a baby before we’ve even figured out whether we can build a relationship.”

He didn’t look away.

“You’re right.”

His agreement surprised me enough that I paused.

“I don’t want you to agree simply because you think that’s what I need to hear.”

“I’m not.” He rested his forearms on his knees, his expression serious. “I know what the bond means to me, but that doesn’t mean you have to feel the same way. And a child doesn’t suddenly make us a couple.”

Some of the tension in my shoulders eased, although I wasn’t ready to relax completely.

“Then I need you to understand something else. I won’t marry you just because I’m pregnant. I won’t move into your house because you think it’s safer, and I won’t give up control of my money, my career, or my life because you’re the father.”

Kael’s jaw tightened slightly, but he didn’t interrupt.

“I spent seven years putting Adrian first,” I continued. “I supported him when he needed me, gave up things I wanted, and trusted him when he told me we were building a future together. I won’t make the same mistake again, even if my reasons for doing it would be different this time.”

When I finished, the room fell quiet.

I had expected him to defend himself or remind me that he wasn’t Adrian. Instead, he sat with my words, apparently considering them rather than treating them as an insult.

“I don’t want you to give up your life for me, Sera.”

“Then don’t ask me to.”

“I won’t.”

I searched his face, looking for the impatience that might reveal itself once he realized I wouldn’t simply accept whatever he offered. His wolf was present beneath the surface, and I could sense the effort he was making to remain calm. The mate bond stirred whenever our eyes met, drawing my attention toward him in a way I still didn’t understand.

But attraction wasn’t trust, and instinct wasn’t a promise.

“I also need you to understand that Adrian doesn’t get a say in this pregnancy,” I said. “We’re still legally married, but that doesn’t mean he gets to decide where I live or what happens to my child.”

Kael’s expression hardened at the mention of his half-brother.

“He won’t control you again.”

I lifted my chin. “You can’t promise me that he’ll never try.”

“You’re right.” He took a slow breath. “I can’t control what Adrian attempts to do. But I can make sure you have support, and I can stand beside you if he tries to interfere. The decision about how we respond will still be yours.”

That was a better answer than the first one.

I didn’t need Kael to promise that nothing bad would happen. I needed him to understand that helping me didn’t mean taking over.

“Thank you,” I said.

He gave a small nod before glancing toward the untouched food beside me.

“Have you eaten anything today?”

I followed his gaze and felt a little embarrassed.

“I haven’t been hungry.”

“Is that because you’re feeling sick?”

“No. I’ve just been thinking too much.”

He didn’t lecture me or order me to eat. He simply asked whether I would mind if he got me something lighter from the hotel restaurant. I agreed, and he made the call without turning the gesture into another discussion about what was best for me.

While we waited, I told him about the doctor I planned to see and the lawyer I wanted to consult about ending my marriage. Kael listened carefully, occasionally asking a question when something wasn’t clear, but he didn’t try to choose either professional for me.

For the first time since discovering Adrian’s affair, I could talk about my future without feeling that someone was waiting to tell me why my plans were unreasonable.

When the food arrived, I managed to eat a little. Kael remained quiet, giving me room to think, and I began to understand that his restraint might require as much effort as his usual commanding presence.

After a while, he spoke again.

“I want to be involved in this child’s life.”

I looked up from my plate.

“I would expect that if we’re both certain about the pregnancy and the baby is healthy.”

“I’ll be there for the appointments, if you want me there. I’ll help with the expenses, and I’ll take responsibility for my child. But I won’t use any of that to decide what you should do.”

His words stirred something complicated inside me. I had spent years hoping Adrian would show that kind of consideration, only to discover that he had been capable of far more than he allowed me to believe. Now Kael, a man I had known for only a few days, was offering something I had once considered a basic part of marriage.

I didn’t want to mistake a good beginning for a guarantee.

“Being a father means more than paying bills,” I told him. “It means showing up, listening, and understanding that the baby will have a mother who has her own opinions. You can’t expect me to agree with everything you want.”

“I don’t expect that.”

“And if we disagree?”

“We talk about it.”

I raised an eyebrow. “You make it sound very simple.”

“I know it won’t be simple.” A faint smile touched his mouth. “But I would rather argue with you honestly than make decisions behind your back and expect you to accept them.”

Despite everything, a small laugh escaped me.

It wasn’t much, but it was the first time that afternoon I had felt something other than fear.

Kael’s expression softened when he heard it, and for a moment I saw a side of him that wasn’t hidden behind his Alpha authority. He looked less like a man accustomed to commanding entire rooms and more like someone who genuinely wanted to know the woman sitting across from him.

The difference mattered to me.

Still, I had questions about what would happen once the news spread. Our connection would attract attention, and Adrian wouldn’t quietly accept the fact that his estranged wife was carrying his older half-brother’s child. Kael’s family might have opinions of their own, especially if they believed the pregnancy meant I should immediately become his wife.

I wasn’t prepared to let any of them decide that for me.

“I want to keep the pregnancy private for now,” I said. “Until I’ve seen a doctor and had time to think, I don’t want the entire pack discussing my body and my future.”

“That’s reasonable.”

“And Adrian doesn’t hear it from someone else. I’ll decide when and how he finds out, unless there’s a reason we need to tell him sooner.”

Kael’s gaze sharpened, but he nodded.

“Your decision.”

I studied him, still waiting for the condition that might follow. None came.

He stood after a few minutes, then stopped beside the table as if he had remembered something important.

“There is something I want to discuss with you.”

I straightened slightly. “What is it?”

“Your situation with Adrian is going to become more complicated, especially once he realizes you aren’t returning to him. I also don’t want you to feel that you have to depend on a hotel room while you’re figuring everything out.”

“I can find somewhere to live.”

“I know you can.” His voice remained calm. “I’m not suggesting that you can’t take care of yourself.”

“Then what are you suggesting?”

Kael held my gaze.

“I have a solution that could protect your independence, give you and the baby stability, and keep Adrian from using your marriage against you.”

I felt my stomach tighten.

“What kind of solution?”

He paused, as though he had already considered the consequences of what he was about to say.

“Marry me, Sera.”